How often are you checking in with your team members in your dental organization or practice?
And, is it really a check-in if you don’t actually call it a “check-in”?
If catching your team member in the hallway and having a quick chat or briefly asking how they’re doing is considered a regular check-in, we would ask you to reconsider.
At Spark, we’ve seen significant advantages in dental practices with formal check-ins over those that opt for more informal, brief chats in the hallway.
We know how hard it can be to find time during the day between patients, but we’ve found that structured check-ins are vital to maintaining the culture and success of your organization.
Pre-scheduled, intentional time can make or break the relationships with your team members. Setting aside designated time for check-ins also gives you the opportunity to set expectations, acknowledge successes and accomplishments, and discuss areas for improvement.
It can be very simple.
A check-in should be structured, but don’t overthink it. It doesn’t have to be long or overly complex. By following a simple framework and including some of the items below, you can have a successful 1:1 with your team member that will be rewarding for everyone.
Here are the crucial components:
- Have your list – keep a list of items that you’d like to discuss with your team member. This is also a great place to jot down specific examples, so you don’t forget them.
- Ask them to bring their list – Set the expectation that the team member bring their list of items with them as well. This can be questions, suggestions, whatever is on their mind. Encourage them to jot things down as they arise, which will also prevent unnecessary disruptions for questions that can wait.
- Keep the scheduled time – It’s important to keep this time as sacred, and if it’s rescheduled just be sure it actually happens. Your team member needs to know that they are guaranteed this time with you for the check-in process to be successful.
- Be a good listener – Avoid distractions, give your team member your full attention, and listen with the willingness to learn. Sometimes our team members just need to be heard.
- Use specific examples – This is equally important for acknowledging successes and for suggesting improvements. You want to be specific about the behaviors that you want to be repeated, and to be sure your team member knows what exactly they did that was a ‘good job’. For constructive coaching, you also need to be specific about what behavior needs to stop or change, and what your suggestion would be for how they can do it differently.
- Set expectations and confirm their understanding – Use the time to outline expectations for your organization’s goals, your team member’s growth, etc. This is a great opportunity to share your vision 1:1 with your team member.
And, don’t forget the seasoned, top performers.
We are often better at intentionally scheduling time to check-in with a new team member to see how things are progressing, but often neglect to make time for our longer tenured team members.
Every team member deserves one on one time with their leader and if you need a statistic to convince you - it’s proven to improve retention rates in your organization!
